HOROLOGICAL MACHINE N°6 SV - MB&F · The nine sapphire crystal domes ... plus one over the flying...
Transcript of HOROLOGICAL MACHINE N°6 SV - MB&F · The nine sapphire crystal domes ... plus one over the flying...
4 7 5 C O M P O N E N T S R E V E A L E D B Y S A P P H I R E C R Y S T A L
HOROLOGICAL MACHINE N°6 SV
WWW.MBANDF.COM
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
PLEASE CONTACT:
CHARRIS YADIGAROGLOU,
MB&F SA ,
RUE VERDAINE 11,
CH-1204 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
EMAIL: [email protected]
TEL: +41 22 508 10 33
SUMMARY
DESIGN
ENGINE
CASE
SAPPHIRE CRYSTALS EVERYWHERE
TECHNICAL DETAILS
“FRIENDS” RESPONSIBLE FOR HM6 SV
MB&F - THE GENESIS OF A CONCEPT LABORATORY
HOROLOGICAL MACHINE N°6 SV
HOROLOGICAL MACHINE N°6 SV – PLATINUM
SUMMARY
Horological Machine N°6 SV (SV for “Sapphire Vision”) adds
an extra three-dimensional layer to the biomorphic beauty
of the HM6 ‘Space Pirate’ by revealing the mechanical mar-
vels of the unique Engine within. The complex curves of two
transparent sapphire crystal plates sandwich a precious metal
“streamliner” case band, creating two horological amphithe-
atres dedicated to the appreciation of exquisite, hand-fin-
ished micro engineering.
“I always thought that the most beautiful part of HM6 was
its movement, and that it was a shame not to show it. But it
was only recently that the technology of machining sapphire
crystal allowed us to create such a complex case,” explains
MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser.
The metal case band is distinguished by horizontal lines rem-
iniscent of the American Greyhound “Streamliner” buses of
the 1950s and ‘60s, which grew out of a late Art Deco style
known as Streamline Moderne. The sandwich construction is
punctuated and highlighted by the vividly coloured stripes
of the water-resistance seals.
At the front, two spherical domes rotate vertically, respec-
tively displaying hours and minutes in large, highly legible
numerals. Aft, twin spherical turbines spin horizontally, driven
by the rotor and multiplying gearing that automatically reg-
ulates the winding system to minimize stress and wear.
A central dome houses a 60-second flying tourbillon, the pre-
cision regulator of the HM6 Engine. However, high-precision
regulators are especially sensitive to changes in oil viscosity,
and ultra violet radiation gradually breaks down lubricating
oils. This is why HM6 features a retractable, semi-spherical,
titanium protective shield; when closed, it blocks harmful
radiation from prematurely oxidising the lubrication oils in
the regulator. A crown at 9 o’clock opens and closes the
cover in – and like – the blink of an eye.
The nine sapphire crystal domes – five on top and four under-
neath – are carefully fastened to the transparent plates thanks
to a special gluing process, achieved under vacuum in a high
temperature oven. This offers maximal strength and water
resistance.
As entrancing as its organically curved exterior case is, the
real star of HM6 SV is its Engine, which doesn’t simply take
centre stage but the whole auditorium. The 475 finely-fin-
ished components make up the highly complex movement,
the result of more than three years’ worth of development.
–
Horological Machine N°6 ‘SV’ is a limited edition of 10
pieces in platinum/sapphire crystal and 10 pieces in red
gold/sapphire crystal.
There will only be 100 HM6 movements made in total.
WWW.MBANDF.COM
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
PLEASE CONTACT:
CHARRIS YADIGAROGLOU,
MB&F SA ,
RUE VERDAINE 11,
CH-1204 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
EMAIL: [email protected]
TEL: +41 22 508 10 33
SUMMARY
DESIGN
ENGINE
CASE
SAPPHIRE CRYSTALS EVERYWHERE
TECHNICAL DETAILS
“FRIENDS” RESPONSIBLE FOR HM6 SV
MB&F - THE GENESIS OF A CONCEPT LABORATORY
HOROLOGICAL MACHINE N°6 SV
HOROLOGICAL MACHINE N°6 SV – PLATINUM
DESIGN
The inspiration for HM6 SV’s precious metal case band comes
from the late Art Deco style known as Streamline Moderne,
one manifestation of which was the distinctive horizontal
lines running along the iconic Greyhound Streamliner buses
of the 1950s and ‘60s.
Streamlining was a concept first conceived by industrial
designers who stripped the ornamental aspects of Art Deco
design to focus on the scientifically pure aerodynamic concept
of motion and speed.
Next to the streamlined case band, the organic curves of
HM6’s case derive from an early 20th century art movement
labelled “biomorphism”, in which art is modelled on the nat-
urally occurring shapes and forms found in nature and living
creatures. Biomorphic expressions can be found in art like
Henri Matisse’s eminent work, Le bonheur de vivre (The Joy
of Life); in architecture as exemplified by La Sagrada Familia,
the famous cathedral in Barcelona by Antoni Gaudí; and many
works by contemporary designers including Marc Newson.
But few have been as influential or as passionate about bio-
dynamic forms as German industrial designer Luigi Colani,
whose body of work spanned cars, furniture, electronics, a
grand piano, and even a ballpoint pen.
ENGINE
The Engine of HM6 SV required more than three years of
development due to the demanding challenges that had to
be overcome. The aluminium indication spheres displaying
hours and minutes are machined from solid blocks of metal
to an ultra-light paper thickness and revolve on ruby bear-
ings. The spheres rotate vertically at 90° to the plane of the
movement, which is extremely rare in a wristwatch due to
the complexity of the drive train and gearing required.
The eye-catching central tourbillon perched high above the
movement is a flying tourbillon developed by MB&F specif-
ically for HM6. The choice of such a sophisticated regulator
was necessitated by the restricted space under the top of
the sapphire crystal dome, which could not accommodate
the upper supporting bridge of a standard balance wheel.
The flying tourbillon can be protected from ultraviolet radia-
tion, which speeds up the oxidation of lubricating oils in the
escapement and movement, by a retractable semi-spheri-
cal shield enveloping the tourbillon with four overlapping,
curved blades. The shield is operated by a crown on the left
side of the case. These blades are paper-thin and had to be
machined from a solid ingot of titanium.
The two spherical turbines, each composed of no fewer than
15 curved vanes, are machined in two hemispheres from
solid blocks of aluminium. These turbines are driven from
the rotation of the automatic winding rotor by a gear train
designed to amplify the number of rotations. As (air) friction
increases exponentially (squared) as a function of velocity,
if the winding rotor starts rotating too quickly – most likely
due to highly active movement of the wrist – air friction on
the turbines increases and helps counteract the excessive
speed to minimise wear.
As may be expected with such sui generis movement archi-
tecture, nearly every component and mechanism had to be
developed from scratch specifically for Horological Machine
N°6. The result speaks for itself.
WWW.MBANDF.COM
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
PLEASE CONTACT:
CHARRIS YADIGAROGLOU,
MB&F SA ,
RUE VERDAINE 11,
CH-1204 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
EMAIL: [email protected]
TEL: +41 22 508 10 33
SUMMARY
DESIGN
ENGINE
CASE
SAPPHIRE CRYSTALS EVERYWHERE
TECHNICAL DETAILS
“FRIENDS” RESPONSIBLE FOR HM6 SV
MB&F - THE GENESIS OF A CONCEPT LABORATORY
HOROLOGICAL MACHINE N°6 SVCASE
The case of HM6 SV is a sandwich construction of a precious
metal case band between two transparent sapphire crystal
plates. The case band, in either 950 platinum or 5N+ red
gold, forms a protective wall around the movement and
supports the articulated lugs. Horizontal lines traversing the
perimeter of the case band visually break the height of the
case and accentuate the movement within.
The sapphire crystal plates on the top and bottom were
particularly difficult to machine and polish due to their size
and the complexity of the curves. The domes capping the
indications (top and bottom), turbines (top and bottom), and
flying tourbillon were then meticulously fastened to the trans-
parent plates thanks to a special gluing process, achieved
under vacuum in a high temperature oven. This offers maximal
strength and water resistance.
SAPPHIRE CRYSTALS EVERYWHERE
The production of HM6 SV’s 11 sapphire crystals, including
two large case plates (top and bottom) and nine domes – on
top and bottom of the two time indications and two turbines,
plus one over the flying tourbillon – posed quite a challenge.
Each was first machined from a solid block of sapphire crystal,
which is the second-hardest, naturally-occurring mineral on
earth after diamond. It is an incredibly demanding material
to shape into complex forms.
After machining each block of sapphire crystal inside and
out with diamond-tipped tools, the shapes have to be highly
polished, both inside and out, to make them transparent.
The domes are especially ambitious, as the walls have to
be of absolutely uniform thickness; otherwise the slightest
inconsistency creates disconcerting optical distortions.
HOROLOGICAL MACHINE N°6 SV – CLOSE-UP
WWW.MBANDF.COM
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
PLEASE CONTACT:
CHARRIS YADIGAROGLOU,
MB&F SA ,
RUE VERDAINE 11,
CH-1204 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
EMAIL: [email protected]
TEL: +41 22 508 10 33
SUMMARY
DESIGN
ENGINE
CASE
SAPPHIRE CRYSTALS EVERYWHERE
TECHNICAL DETAILS
“FRIENDS” RESPONSIBLE FOR HM6 SV
MB&F - THE GENESIS OF A CONCEPT LABORATORY
HOROLOGICAL MACHINE N°6 SVTECHNICAL DETAILS
ENGINE
Three-dimensional horological engine developed exclusively for HM6 by MB&F with David Candaux Horlogerie Créative
Flying tourbillon with retractable semi-spherical titanium shield
Iridescent blue platinum 950 battle-axe automatic winding rotor
Twin aluminium turbines driven by winding rotor
Power reserve: 72 hours
Balance frequency: 2.5 Hz / 18,000 bph
Number of components: 475
Number of jewels: 68
FUNCTIONS/INDICATIONS
Hours and minutes on separate semi-spherical aluminium indications
Left crown opens/closes tourbillon shield; right crown for time setting and winding
Dual turbines regulate the automatic winding rotor
CASE
Sandwich construction of two transparent sapphire crystal plates on either side of a central precious metal case band
Materials: 5N+ red gold/sapphire crystal or 950 platinum/sapphire crystal
Dimensions: 51mm × 50mm × 22.7mm
Number of components: 78
Water resistance: 30m / 3atm
STRAP & BUCKLE
Blue or dark brown hand-stitched alligator strap with gold / platinum folding buckle matching case material.
HOROLOGICAL MACHINE N°6 – ENGINE
WWW.MBANDF.COM
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
PLEASE CONTACT:
CHARRIS YADIGAROGLOU,
MB&F SA ,
RUE VERDAINE 11,
CH-1204 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
EMAIL: [email protected]
TEL: +41 22 508 10 33
SUMMARY
DESIGN
ENGINE
CASE
SAPPHIRE CRYSTALS EVERYWHERE
TECHNICAL DETAILS
“FRIENDS” RESPONSIBLE FOR HM6 SV
MB&F - THE GENESIS OF A CONCEPT LABORATORY
HOROLOGICAL MACHINE N°6 SV‘FRIENDS’ RESPONSIBLE FOR HM6 SV
Concept: Maximilian Büsser / MB&F
Product design: Eric Giroud / Eric Giroud Design Studio
Development and production management: Serge Kriknoff / MB&F
R&D: Guillaume Thévenin and Ruben Martinez / MB&F
Movement development: MB&F with David Candaux
Sapphire case: Sebastien Sangsue and Gregory Esseric / Sebal
Case: Fabien Chapatte and Riccardo Pescante / Les Artisans Boitiers
Profile-turning wheel/pinion/axis: Yann Le Martret / mudec
Steel spring + turbine aluminium: Alain Pellet / Elefil
Tourbillon: Dominique Lauper / Precision Engineering
Retractable shield: Benjamin Signoud / AMECAP
Plates and bridges: Rodrigue Baume / Damatec, Georges Auer / Mecawatch, Benjamin Signoud / AMECAP
Platinum winding rotor: Denis Villars / Cendres et métaux, Pierre-Albert Steinmann / Positive Coating
Hand-finishing of movement components: Jacques-Adrien Rochat and Denis Garcia / C-L Rochat
Movement assemblage: Didier Dumas, Georges Veisy, Anne Guiter and Emmanuel Maitre / MB&F
In-house machining: Alain Lemarchand / MB&F
Quality Control: Cyril Fallet / MB&F
Buckle construction and production: Dominique Mainier and Bertrand Jeunet / G&F Châtelain
Specific crown of the shield mechanism: Jean-Pierre Cassard / Cheval Frères SA
Metallisation of hour and minute domes: Roland Rhyner / Econorm
Semi spherical hour and minute: Maurizio Cervellieri / Natéber
Strap: Olivier Purnot / Camille Fournet
Presentation case: Olivier Berthon / ATS Atelier Luxe
Production logistics: David Lamy and Isabel Ortega / MB&F
Marketing communications: Charris Yadigaroglou, Virginie Meylan and Juliette Duru / MB&F
M.A.D.Gallery: Hervé Estienne / MB&F
Sales: Luis André, Patricia Duvillard and Philip Ogle / MB&F
Graphic design: Samuel Pasquier / MB&F, Adrien Schulz and Gilles Bondallaz / Z+Z
Product photography: Maarten van der Ende
Portrait photography: Régis Golay / Federal
Website: Stéphane Balet and Victor Rodriguez / Sumo Interactive
Texts: Ian Skellern / Underthedial
HOROLOGICAL MACHINE N°6 – FRIENDS
WWW.MBANDF.COM
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
PLEASE CONTACT:
CHARRIS YADIGAROGLOU,
MB&F SA ,
RUE VERDAINE 11,
CH-1204 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
EMAIL: [email protected]
TEL: +41 22 508 10 33
SUMMARY
DESIGN
ENGINE
CASE
SAPPHIRE CRYSTALS EVERYWHERE
TECHNICAL DETAILS
“FRIENDS” RESPONSIBLE FOR HM6 SV
MB&F - THE GENESIS OF A CONCEPT LABORATORY
HOROLOGICAL MACHINE N°6 SV
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MB&F – GENESIS OF A CONCEPT LABORATORY
10 years old, 11 calibres, countless highs, boundless
creativity
In 2015, MB&F celebrated its 10th anniversary – and what
a decade it has been for the world’s first ever horological
concept laboratory: 10 years of hyper-creativity; 11 remark-
able calibres forming the base of the critically acclaimed
Horological Machines and Legacy Machines for which MB&F
has become renowned.
After 15 years managing prestigious watch brands, Maximilian
Büsser resigned from his Managing Director position at
Harry Winston in 2005 to create MB&F – Maximilian Büsser
& Friends. MB&F is an artistic and micro-engineering labo-
ratory dedicated to designing and crafting small series of
radical concept watches by bringing together talented hor-
ological professionals that Büsser both respects and enjoys
working with.
In 2007, MB&F unveiled its first Horological Machine, HM1.
HM1’s sculptured, three-dimensional case and beautifully
finished “engine” (the movement) set the standard for the
idiosyncratic Horological Machines that have followed: HM2,
HM3, HM4, HM5, HM6 and HMX – all Machines that tell the
time, rather than Machines to tell the time.
In 2011, MB&F launched its round-cased Legacy Machine
collection. These more classical pieces – classical for MB&F,
that is – pay tribute to nineteenth-century watchmaking
excellence by reinterpreting complications from the great
horological innovators of yesteryear to create contemporary
objets d’art. LM1 and LM2 were followed by LM101, the first
MB&F Machine to feature a movement developed entirely
in-house. The year 2015 saw the launch of Legacy Machine
Perpetual featuring a fully integrated perpetual calendar.
MB&F generally alternates between launching contempo-
rary, resolutely unconventional Horological Machines and
historically inspired Legacy Machines.
As well as Horological and Legacy Machines, MB&F has cre-
ated space age music boxes (MusicMachines 1, 2 and 3) in
collaboration with Reuge; and unusual clocks with L’Epée
1839 in the form of a space station (Starfleet Machine), a
spider (Arachnophobia) and two robot clocks (Melchior and
Sherman).
And there have been distinguished accolades reminding us
of the innovative nature of MB&F’s journey so far. To name
a few, at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in 2012,
MB&F was awarded the Public Prize (voted for by horology
fans) and the Best Men’s Watch Prize (voted for by the pro-
fessional jury) for Legacy Machine N°1. At the 2010 Grand
Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, MB&F won Best Concept and
Design Watch for the HM4 Thunderbolt. Last but not least,
in 2015 MB&F received a ‘Red Dot: Best of the Best’ award
– the top prize at the international Red Dot Awards – for the
HM6 Space Pirate.
FOLDER CONTENT
Click here to access the press release in other languages
+ all product images (low and high resolution).
HM6–SV PTFACE
HM6–SV PTFRONT
HM6–SV PTPROFILE
HM6–SV PTTOP
HM6–SV PTBACK
HM6–SV RGFACE
HM6–SV RGFRONT
HM6–SV RGPROFILE
THE MACHINE
HM6–SV RGTOP
HM6–SV RGBACK
THE ENGINE
HM6 SV FRIENDSPORTRAIT
MAXIMLIAN BÜSSER 1
MAXIMILIANBÜSSER 2
HM6 SV FRIENDSLANDSCAPE
THE FRIENDS
HM6–SVENGINE
HM6–SVENGINE 2
HM6–SVTOURBILLON
CLOSE UP
MAXIMILIAN BÜSSER